Monday, March 30, 2009

THE PAGERS IN OUR HOSPITAL ARE TEXT PAGERS, WHICH MEANS THEY DISPLAY BOTH NUMBERS AND TEXT (LIKE A CELL PHONE DISPLAY). MOST OF THE TIME THIS IS A VERY HELPFUL FEATURE ... BUT NOT ALL THE TIME.

NEVER BEFORE, AT LEAST NOT SINCE GRADE SCHOOL, HAVE I SEEN SUCH POORLY-CONSTRUCTED SENTENCES. FORGET THEIR GRAMMAR FOR A MOMENT, THESE PAGES ARE ATROCIOUS BECAUSE OF THEIR CAPITALIZATION.

WELL OVER HALF OF THE NURSES SEND PAGES THAT ARE ALL CAPS. IN CASE YOU CAN'T TELL, IT IS EXTREMELY ANNOYING TO READ. IT TRULY FEELS LIKE ONE IS BEING YELLED AT. I CAN THINK OF A FEW REASONS WHY SOMEONE WOULD SEND AN ALL-CAPS PAGE:

1) THEY ARE TOO LAZY TO FIX IT2) THEY AREN'T AWARE OF IT3) THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO CAPITALIZE PROPERLY

ACCORDINGLY, I HAVE PREPARED SOME RESPONSES:

1') TAKE A SECOND AND LOOK AT YOUR KEYBOARD. IT'S THE KEY TO THE LEFT OF THE 'A' KEY. JUST PRESS IT ONCE.

2') TAKE A MOMENT TO READ YOUR PAGE AS YOU'RE TYPING IT. THEN SEE POINT 1'.

3') REPEAT 3RD GRADE (OR TAKE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME)

THERE REALLY IS NO REASON NOT TO CAPITALIZE PROPERLY. IF YOU'RE MATURE ENOUGH TO CARE FOR PATIENTS, YOU SHOULD BE MATURE ENOUGH TO WRITE WITH A MINIMAL LEVEL OF SKILL.